


After Darquesse

by Tigi



Category: Skulduggery Pleasant - Derek Landy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:19:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 17,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26127901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tigi/pseuds/Tigi
Comments: 2
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

Ending up helping the Skeleton and his friends wasn't what Sanguin had wanted to do. But he was here now nonetheless. Ignoring the glares from Ghastly, who was still not over Erskines Treason. Doing his best to help them and all above help Tanith.

Fighting the white Cleaver was another thingh he hadn't planned on doing, but here he was. For Thanith told Sanguin himseld while he fought.

In the end he actually won, kind of at least. He would have won if the Cleaver had lived.

But the Cleaver didn't and Sanguin lost. He knew it the moment the scythe moved towards him.

The next thing he knew was that the blood was everywhere it seemed. In his lungs, his mouth and wetting his cloth. Gasping Sanguin tried to breath, thinking how unfair it was. After all he deserved at least a littel more time........but deep down he knew it was over, now and yet.

Still he tried desperately to breath, fighting for the live he had left. But all he could taste was blood and it felt like drowning. I am drowning in my own blood, realised Sanguin. If I don't die from bloodloss, then I will drown.

But he had to live, thought Sanguin, he wanted to tell the real Tanith that he loved her, he wanted to watch Movies, annoy Dusk, but he was dying. Slowly the world began to darken, and his limps began to feel numb and heavy. Desperately he tried to moved and felt like a prisoner in his body, unable to move. His brain began to shut down, unable to function without oxygen. As the world went black Sanguin felt defeated.

..........

While Sanguin was dying Thanith fought against the Cleaver, knowing that was going to be her last chance. For a moment she wanted to turn and help Sanguin, even trough it was to late for him. It was strange to want to mourn for someone who was a killer, but Tanith wanted to later, she promised herself. Looking at the white Cleaver she smiled sadly, gripping her sword tightly. ,,Come and have a go if you think you are hard enough."

..............

Ghastly looked around trying to get it in his mind that Valkyries true name was Darquesse. That Stephenie the reflection was dead and that Darquesse was using her body to kill them all.

He could practically feel the headache forming from this whole ridiculous mess. The only good thingh Ghastly could think of, was that Tanith was back, truly back.

,,Are you only going to stay there, ir are you actually going to help?"yelled Saracen over to him, while he was shooting Darquess with arrows. Suddenly Ghastly snapped back to the here and yet. Concentrating on the fight again, Ghastly began to do his part in fighting Darquesse, he just hoped that the damn plan worked.

Only barely he saw the wall dropping on Saracen, he would later have to see if his friend still lived.

From far he could see Darquesse ripping the remant out of Dexter. Another one down thought Ghastly, not knowing if this was good or bad. Again he could only hope that Dexter lived. All in him screamed at him to help his friend, but Ghastly had a plan to go trough with.

..........

He felt pain, much pain and he didn't knew why. His last memories were of a littel boy singing, a boy possed from a remant and there was the littel city.....but nothingh more came to his mind.

No explanation whatsoever why his body felt as if someone ripped his organs out and placed them back, but not in the right order. It took him a little time to form any words, his mouth felt dry and raw, not able to function properly.

,,What happend?"asked Dexter in the end hoping someone was around and knew an answer.

,,Darquees happend. Or more correct a remant happend to you and then Darquesse happend."corrected Saracen himself, his voice didn't seemed far from Dexter. That was why Dexter decided to open his eyes and turn his head to were he heard the voice. And sure enough there was Saracen lying in a bath tub full with mudd, as Dexter apparently was and grinning at him like an idiot.

,,Stopp grinning and tell me exactly what happend."requested Dexter exhauseted hoping for a more qualified answer this time. Saracen stopped grinning and looked now more serious at him.

,,You were possed by a remant Dex and Darquesse ripped it out. For a moment we all thought you would die. Do never again do this to me."whispered Saracen ,,I thought you were dead Dex. Truly dead. Gone." Saracen sounded broken, defeat, his brown eyes looking at Dexter in agony. ,, I am sorry Saracen. Truly sorry."apologised Dexted.

,,Don't worry."said Saracen and then he kissed leaned over his bath tub, over to Dexter. Slowly he wrapped his arms around Dexter pulling him closer. Then there lips met and it wasn't the best kiss Dexter ever had. There lips were both dry and they were exhausted. But it was the kiss that Dexter had craved so long that he didn't cared. He didn't even cared if any one saw them, if they would die from exhaustion. All that matter were Saracen lips on his.

.........

,,Were is she?"demanded Ghastly almost breathless, when he saw Synedoche. He knew he must look like a mess, blood on his clothes, scratches in his face and maybe a rip broken. But he couldn't get himself to care.  
All that mattered was her and if she lived or if she had died.

,,I don't have time."was all that Synedoche said before she almost ran into another direction. Of course thought Ghastly, there were still people out there who were fighting with death.  
Dexter and Saracen probably too, but Ghastly would later search for them. Right now he had to see if she stil lived. Had to talk to her and there wouldn't be any delays anymore. No more awkward conversations. He would ask her out again, they would go on a date if she said yes.  
If she even lived.....

The hospital was a mess noticed Ghastly, it was to full and the doctors and nurses tried there best, but there weren't enough of them and surely more than one died before they were discovered and looked after.  
His heart clenched at the thought of Tanith lying somewhere dying while he was walking around useless. Keep calm told Ghastly himself, but he couldn't push the image out of his head again.

,,Ghastly."yelled a similar voice over to him and he suddenly stopped, his body freezing in his movement. Could it be?  
Looking around he tried to find her between all these people and soon enough there she was, pushing her way trough the people.

,,Thanith."replied Ghastly and his heart seemed to skip a beat, as soon as he reached her, Ghastly pulled her to him and searched her for any wounds.

,,Are you hurt?"asked Ghastly, fearing that she would be pushed away from him, if he let the Universe get it's way. But there was no blood, no broken bones he could see.

,,No, but you are."answered Tanith and he could hear the concern in her voice. But above all he could hear the warmth and the happiness.

,,I am fine as long as I am not dying I will wait. There are others who need the medical attention more."said Ghastly unable to look away from her now that they had found each other again.

,,Is the offer if the date still available?"asked Tanith suddenly and there was hope in her voice. Never once had he more wanted to kiss her than now.

,,For you? Always."promised Ghastly.

..........

Shudder walked trough the mass of people, as always alone. He had still to fight to get it in his head that Erskine was a traitor, an enemy.  
It hurt more than it should, thought Anton after all they all had known that Erskine was bitter about the fact that they didn't had rescued him. But they chose to turn a blind eye on this, hoping that Erskine could cope with thus on his own.  
A mistake, as Shudder knew now, but back then it seemed logically.  
Ignoring most people he searched for the ones he hold dear. Two people he had already seen, he knew that Skulldugery and Valkyrie were fine, physically at least, even trough maybe not mentally.

It took him a while to find Dexter and Saracen, they were far away from the loud and crowded floors in a room. Shudder chose not to disturb them, as he could see they were kissing.  
Smiling he turned around, at least they had finally found each other.......  
Next he saw Ghastly talking to Tanith, both smiled at each other and Shudder knew they would be fine too.  
As he didn't wanted to interrupt them he searched for a place with some peace and silence.  
Sitting down in a room far away from the crowd Shudder tried to supress the feel of loss that flooded trough his heart since he saw Dexter and Saracen together, Tanith and Ghastly.  
Once he had that too, he had known that feeling of warmth and comfort. The feeling of understanding and known that there was someone to lean onto.  
Someone who made him smiled and could live with him being grim and distant.  
But he hadn't that anymore.  
Larrikin was dead.

......... .

,,How are we going to do this?"asked Valkyrie as they walked down towards the accelerator. As always it stood there unmoved and threatening at once.

,,We are going to give it what it wants."answered Skulldugery slowly stopping only a few steps away from it. Grapping Erskine hard on his arm.

,,You can't make me give my soul for this Skul. You know you can't, it has to be sacrificed on free will. Don't get me wrong, I want to, bit I can't Skul. I just can't, even if I could undo everything I did, with this."explained Erskine sadly staying there with his head down. Looking at Skullduggery for a sign of help. A sign of forgiveness. Skullduggery gave none.

,,I know."replied Skullduggery ,,I give the soul on free will, that us all that us needed, not your permission."

Then Skulldugerry stepped forward and coughed a littel before he said ,,I give this soul on free will."

,,No, you can't do this."whispered Valkyrie and felt the urge to paint to Skullduggery and drag him away from the accelerator.  
Valkyrie couldn't bear the sight, but still left her eyes open, unwilling to miss the last chance to see Skullduggery.

,,I can and I will."the Skullduggery stepped forward again, almost into the accelarotar and....pushed Erskine in it.

,,You asshole."growled Valkyrie and punched Skulldugery.

........

Another victim thought Synedoche as soon as they brought the man in.  
Everywhere was blood, even trough someone had tried to stop the bleeding with band aids.  
Not that it had helped much, the blood was still everywhere.  
It was in his lungs, his mouth, his blond hair, which was red now and on his clothes.  
But they still tried everything they could.  
They always did. They cleaned his air ways and his lungs they tried to stop the bleeding. After that they attached various machines.  
After that they used a sunburst and still.....no heart beat no breath.

,,Again."decided Synedoche, more because she wanted to be able later to say, that she had tried everything, then feeling later guilty.

Attaching the sunburst again, she tried.....still nothingh.  
Sighing she looked down.  
One last try.  
Again she pressed the sunburst to his chest and tried it......nothingh.

,,Time of Death...."began Synedoche, when suddenly the mans chest rose and a slow beeping filled the room.

Synedoche smiled.  
One person saved, so probably only a few hundred left.

..........

,,As soon as your injuries are looked after, we will go on a proper date."demanded Ghastly and smiled at Tanith. Who nodded and smiled back. But in her inside she felt empty.  
She loved Ghastly sure, but Sanguin.....was dead because of her and she knew that wasn't something Ghastly ought to know.  
They were together now, but Sanguin would always be a thorn in their side. A Guy who had loved her and died for her.

,,I need to find Valkyrie."excused Tanith herself and kissed Ghastly once again, bevor she went away.  
It was true and not a real lie.  
She just left out that she needed someone to talk to about Sanguin.  
Not that this was her only motivation, she needed too, to know if Valkyrie was alright, after killing her own sister.

..

In the end she found Valkyrie talking to a doctor, who was confirming that Alice was fine and alright.

,,You can take her home now."declared the doctor and Valkyries parents nodded grateful and took their baby back.

,,I guess you won't come with us?"asked Melissa Edgley sadly looking still hopefully at her oldest daughter.

,,Sorry, mom I can't. I have some things still left to do."apologised Valkyrie.

,,I understand."repiled Melissa in a voice that implied that she in facto didn't understood.

After they both left Tanith turned around and hugged Valkyrie right away, before anything else.  
Without hesitation returned Valkyrie the favor and hugged her tightly.

,,I am so sorry, are you alright Val?"asked Tanith. Knowing that Valkyrie was first right now.  
Her problems with Sanguin being dead were minor in comparison to killing your own sister.

,,I was so afraid when the sunburst at first didn't worked. She was dead Tan and I was the one who killed her! What if it wouldn't have worked, I would have killed my own sister.  
What a monster am I?"asked Valkyrie in agony.

,,You are no monster. What you did was brave and it saved the world in the end.  
Some people would have been selfish and chosen theirs sibling over the world.  
And then we would be all dead."replied Tanith trying to reassure Valkyrie, that she had done the right thingh.

,,Thanks Tan. But what's with you? It must not be easy to know that you have a big gap in your memory.  
But maybe Sanguin can fill the gaps if we find him."added Valkyrie half smiling. But Tanith saw that it was an empty smile.

,,Sanguin is dead."replied Tanith and she felt heartbroken all over again.

,,Oh Tan."said Valkyrie, before she hugged her tightly.

.........

Lonely.  
That was what Anton felt above everything when he looked around.  
Everyone had somethingh to do.  
Everyone had someone to care about, to take to, to smile with.  
Only he was alone.  
Lonley.

,,I wondered were you are."saud suddenly a voce from behind and Ghastly sat down next to him.

,,You found me."replied Anton, even trough he wanted to ask so much more. Why did you even bothered searching, you have Tanith?  
How do you feel?  
Are you injured?

,,I and Tanith are finally together."said Ghastly slowly and Anton knew he was only not completly enthusiastic, because he didn't wanted to hurt Anton.  
He still tried to be all soft and gentle,always trying to not remind Anton of what he had lost.

,,I am happy for you."said Anton, as it was his duty, even trough above all he wanted to say, I envy you.  
But that would make Ghastly unhappy and he would feel guilty, Antin didn't wanted to do this.

,,Maybe you should do the same..... settling down with someone."tried Gjastly then.  
Settling down.......as if it was that easy.

,,I can't. And I have the hotel to attend to."told Anton him not even thinking about it, by know it was pure reflex.

,,No, you can Anton. At least try, see if there still is someone out there. It doesn't have to be the love of your life. Someone who makes you happy for a short time and goes then. Still makes you happy."stated Ghastly as a matter of fact.

,,But nobody will ever be Larrikin."growled Anton back. Only feeling this incredibly loss again.

,,I agree, but Anton they don't have to, just try and enjoy your life somtimes with a partner."

..........

,,Valkyrie punched me."

,,You owe me twenty dollar Saracen."said Dexter at this as a matter of fact.

,,You bet on me and my partner?"asked Skulldugery tilting his head.

,,Of curse we do, nothingh is as unpredictable as what you will do next."replied Dexter as a matter of fact.

,,So you and Sarcen finally made the final move and hot together?"asked Skulldugery then.

,,Final move? Did you knew all thses years, that we were in love with each other and you just didn't said anything?"asked Dexter disbelievingly.

,,It wouldn't have been right to interfere with your lifes like this."replied Skulldugery.

,,Not right? Next time just tell us."snapped Saracen.

,,I can't believe this! All thses years and you knew! You damn fucking knew and you told us nothingh."snapped Dexter furious.

,,If you told us..."began Saracen.

,,....then you would have denied it and looked at me as if I was crazy. After that would have been left to fix your relationship as friends.  
Then after the denying you would act as if I never mentioned it and go on, without ever admitting I was right."explained Skulldugery amused.

,,You asked Hopeless about this, didn't you? You both knew back then, didn't you? Or did you all knew?"asked Sarcen question after question.

,,Shouldn't these be things you know?"interfered Dexter looking strangely at Saracen.

,,Most of us knew, all suspected."replied Skulldugery.

,,Wouldn't there have been a way to tell us, or get us subltel together, anything? We could have had years together, centuries, if we started dating earlier?"asked Sarcen almost whispering.  
Thinking about all the lonley nights, all the times he looked longing at Dexter, thinking that his feeling would always be unwanted.

,,No, how possible could we have done it? As Hopeless put it, you dump idiots were to fucking stupid to admit to loving each other, unless both of you would be almost bloody dead."quoted Skulldugery.

,,Sounds like Hopless, especially the insults. I am kind if sorry that I yelled at you. But I would have lived more time with Dexter."apologied Saracen

,,No need to apologise Saracen, after all you just won me twenty dollars."

,,You bet on us too?"

,,Only on your relationship."

......

,,Anton."called Saracen smiling, as soon as he saw his old friend. ,,Come to us, you old grumpy man and listen to our good news."demanded Saracen. ,,And bring Ghastly with you, while your at it."added Dexter smilimg softly at Sarcen. There first big news, as a couple. Not only just friends anymore. Now they were a couple, a real one. They would argue, maybe even a lot, thought Dexter, but they would make it trough, he was sure.

They were dead man after all.  
Even trough they would be always three man short, two he really could miss and one he would always despise.

,,What happens to Erskine?"asked Anton quitly and everyone went silent.

,,I pushed him in the accelerator."replied Skulldugery and you could see everyone's face react in their own way.  
Of course they all were kind of glad, but sad too, Erskine had been more then just a friend.....

,,Good."muttered Saracen even trough didn't looked only glad he looked sad to and like he was mourning.

,,I can't believe he did it."whispered Dexter ,,After all Hopeless died to save us all."

,,I never heard how Hopeless died. What exactly did he do?"asked Valkyrie almost unhearable. She and Tanith had entered after Anton and Ghastly.  
They had needed a littel time to clear their heads, after all the bad and good news.

,,Hopeless died to save us all. He gave his life."explained Saracen without really explaining anything.  
Somhow that seemed Saracens thingh, thougt Dexter a littel amused.

,,Hopless died for what he believed in."muttered Skulldugery.

Valkyr looked at him suspiciously, she knew the way he looked and talked. He must have been Vile then,far way from his friend, while he died. It was his guilty look.

,,Just let us move on, okay? Hopeless was great, warm, kind, honest and above all loyal. Let us remeber that."ended Anto the talk about Hopeless death.

* * *

So late in the day Skulldugery didn't expected any visitors anymore, not even Valkyrie. Right now she was properly asleep for once were she belonged, with her family. Even trough not for long he knew, soon enough she would go to America, the USA. Taking a break. A part of him knew and understood that she needed some distance from everything, but at the same time he wished she wouldn't, wished she wouldn't.....

,,You wish she wouldn't leave you alone don't you? Because in the end you are always alone."ended his visitor his thoughts.

,,She would stay if she could."replied Skulldugery, not turning around.

,,Really? I would have said this once too? But then I was a idiot back them. To stupid too see what was in front of me."argued the man, his voice not so calm anymore.

,,In the end you died for what you believed in."stated Skulldugery as a matter of fact. ,,I did."confirmed the man without hesitation and above all it sounded sad.

,,Have you ever found peace in that? Knowing that there was a reason that you were dying, that your life was leaving you?"asked the Skeleton slowly, not knowing what the answer was he hoped for.

,,I don't know. It is hard to tell if there is any relief at all, when you are tortured."came the answer, straight forward.

,,I am sorry."

,,You always say it, as if it could change anything. But it doesn't fucking changes anything."muttered the man and now he sounded sad above everything and somehow......lonley. ,,words change nothingh."

,,I am still sorry and I am sorry that this is the only thingh I can do for you. I can only say sorry. I only can apologise again and again every day."replied the Skeleton his usally so soft voice raw.

,,you know that even trough you're sorry that it won't change the fact that I died far away from my friends, alone and left in the cold of the torture. Left to die."

,,I am so sorry."muttered Skulldugery. ,,Maybe but you knew a long time ago that I would have forgiven you, if I was still alive. So stopp it. Don't use me as an excuse anymore. Get your fucking sorry ass up and do something useful."demanded the man.

,,Are you even a real person? Or am I hallucinating again, because I can believe that my imagination would be able to pull this stunt."asked Skulldugery. 

,,I fucking don't know, so go and find out."

.....

Looking around in his hotel Anton felt longer than he had for years. Right now no guest was here, that hadn't happend in the last century and it made him realise how lonley he was. Besides the guest there was no human being he saw regularly.

Dexter had now Saracen, not that it was a suprise, Anton always kind of knew.... . And after all this years Ghastly had found a woman he could finally love. It seemed like everyone moved forward with their lives, even Skulldugery seemed ahead of him. After all he had Valkyrie and even trough she was now in the USA, she would come back. They all knew she would.

 _Again you are all alone,_ whispered the gist inside him, always remembering him of what he list and didn't had anymore.

Don't you have somewhere else to be?replied Anton, hoping for once it would leave him alone.

_So sad, the life you life and above.....so lonley so far away from friends.....without love. Without him._

Shut up, snapped Anton back to tired to argue with it.

_Ah come on, you know it too. You ache for a frien, a lover....anything with human contact._

Don't you have anything to do, besides annoying me? 

_Not really, I don't know why, but it seems like I don't.... because of some stupid reason I was bound to spent my life with yours. And you boorrrrrreeee me to death.._

Not my property if you die.

_Ahhh come on.....you feel it too and you want it too.....extimemt is what we crave....or if that is not available a .....person nice and good....someone to spent all these lonley nights with...._

Larrikin is dead and always will be.

_So what? Go out there Anton! Find yourself someone to spent the rest of your pathetic life with...._

I hate to break the news to you, but it would be your pathetic life too....remeber? You and I share the same body....most of the time, at least.

_But that is the point my dear Anton, I want someone to spent nights, or rather out nights with. Trust me I miss Larrikin too, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't take someone else as my partner._

But I don't want to, nobody could ever be....

_Larrikin I knew Anton. But damn it out there is someone to spent our life with. And I don't want to spent the rest of my live as a grumpy old man. So go out there and do us both a favor._

_.........._

,,Our first night together."whispered Saracen and made it sound like the most romantic thingh on earth.

,,I know and hopefully the first of many."replied Dexter smiling at Saracen. Finally he had the love of his life by his side. They wouldn't separate for a long time hopefully. 

,,More nights then there are stars on the sky if we are lucky."muttered Sarcen smiling back at him. Then he leaned in and kissed dexter almost softly.

,,I never knew you were so romantic Saracen. Is this how you get all these woman in your bed?"asked Dexter smiling softly and amused. Even trough deep down he feared that Saracen would say these things to a woman again. And then leave him.

,,No that is especially for you reserved. Only for you."whispered Saracen and kissed him again. 

,,Sure."muttered Dexter even trough his heart seemed to disagree with him. After all these years he had the feeling Saracen wouldn't just stopp with the flirting. No, his friend would go on and on, not caring about the consequences. Not caring about him.

,,But next time we are going to a restaurant and we will do all this romantic stuff, like they show it in the films."mutteredSaracen and smiled softly his brown eyes so warm.

,,I couldn't agree more."replied Dexter from his bath tub. Maybe they would have to wait a few days till they could leave the hospital, but then they would do something more romantically.

..........

,,I love it."stated Tanith it as a matter of fact. Looking up from her steak at Ghadtly who smiled right back.

,,I am glad you enjoy it."replied Ghadtly smiling and his heart was beating faster. In his head his thoughts were circulating and he couldn't help question every move he did. Is she only being polite or dies she really likes it? Would she like if I kissed her,or is it to soon? Have I chosen the right suit? Have I thought of everything?

,,Thank you for waiting all these years Ghastly."and Taniths voice sounded almost broken. She knew it must not haven been easy, seeing her possed by a remnant.

,,It wasn't to hard, after all I had a date I wanted to go through with."replied Ghadtly smiling. 

,,I am sorry Ghastly. For everything."apologized Tanith still.

,,You don't have to be."muttered Ghastly and half smiled at her. Now, is definitely not the time to kiss her, he thougt.

,,Thank you, for everything."and then she leaned in and kissed him softly on his lips.

........

Walking through the floors Synedoche finally relaxed after a long day of work. She knew that most people were out of danger and only a few were still critical. But tomorrow it would probably be decided for mist patients. Life of death.

It was a fight she wanted to win desperately and every loss made her feel guilty. But most pulled trough and some were already out of all danger. Ready to go back to their normal life soon.

But she still had to check on some of the critical ones, before she could go to sleep. She had to know so she could go, leaving them in the good hands of the night shift.

First was a woman, a fighter, and a good one too. Aylin was her name and she had fought hard to save lives. But it got her death and she almost didn't came back. But she seemed tough enough too make it trough.

Next came a man with several burnings, his name was unknown to her.

After that came another man and then a woman again and so it went on and on. Some of them with names, provided from persons known to them, some without a name.

The last patient she went to see was another one without a name. At least right now. About him Synedoche felt confused. After all she knew that he was a killer, a murderer, a hitman. But at the same time he was just a man and she had tried her best to save him. Even trough he would most likely kill if he survived.

But that wasn't up to her and it wasn't likely that he would survive. At some point in the night he probably would die. And that would be the end. Still she stopped and hoped he would come through. Even for him she hoped for the best.

.......


	2. Chapter 2

Waking up next to Ghastly was somethingh she would like to experience more often, thought Tamith.  
She smiled at the thought of her and Ghasy, not only coming together, but staying together.  
It would be a dream coming true, thought Tanith.

,,Morning Tanith."greeted Ghastly her finally, when he awoke.

,,Morning darling."greeted Tanith him back and kissed him smiling at him.

,,If you would like, we could breakfast."muttered Ghastly almost shyly.

,,Seems like a good idea."decided Tanith.

............

,,Is the hotel open?"asked a woman and Anton looked down at her, (not metaphorically, but literally).

,,Sure it is, I get it you want to check in?"asked Anton looking at her question.

,,Yes, if it wouldn't be a problem."replied the woman smiling at him. Anton had to admit that she must be on of the braver soccers.  
Most soccers saw him reading a book and decided it was healthier to let him finish, rather then interrupting him.

,,It isn't a problem."muttered Anton getting up and taking one of the forms were the guest put his sign on.

,,Thank you very much."replied the woman and smiled again.  
A nice and polite person too, thought Anton.

,,If you don't mind, me asking you. I would like to know what you are doing here."questioned Anton her.  
Normally he didn't asked his quest such things.  
After all the Darqueesse stuffed, he decided he deserved a break from all thse rules.

,,Oh, I don't mind. I fought in the battle against Darquesses. And as I am not from here, but rather came to help with the whole thingh, I decided the midnight hotel would be a good place to stay for a while."explained the woman without hesitation.

,,I see, can I ask what your name is?"asked Anton politely while he gave her the forms to check in.

,,Of curse you can, my name is Aylin."replied Aylin. For a second they stood there awkwardly not knowing what to say. But then Anton hot a hold of himself and remebered that he was the owner of a hotel and had to be polite and all that stuff.

,,If you would follow me, I will show you, your room." .............

I am dead, was the first thingh he thought. Or ar least I think I am. Somhow he felt pretty death, numb and without any energy.

Every breath felt like breathing fire in and then out again. Only to breath fire in again. The last thingh he remembered was blood, not like usally the blood of his victims, but his own. It had seemed then as if the world had turned red, because everywhere was blood.

He must have died from blood lost concluded Sanguin or he had drowned in his own blood. But either way he must be dead. It should hurt less,thought Sanguin,of I am dead, it should hurt less. Assembling all his energy he opened his eyes holes and looked around. The ceiling was white, that was the first thingh he saw.

After that he recognized several things around him, as machines surrounding him and doing.....well medical stuff, Sanguin hadn't a slight clue of.

............

,,My apartment is nearer."

,,My apartment is more comfortable."

,,My apartment has food."

,,You can't cook to save your life."

,,I could cook if I want to."

,,I'm not eating some fast food."muttered Dexter and turned the steering wheel turning tight and heading in the direction to his apartment.

,,You could cook in my apartment too."argued Saracen crossing his arms and sulked.

,,Do you even have an oven or a stove?"asked Dexter rausing an eyebrow.

,,I've a fridge, I don't need a oven or a stove."pointed Saracen out looking pleased with himself, thinking he had won the argument.

,,Maybe you don't need a stove or a oven, but I need one. Either we are going to me or we are going in separate directions."replied Dexter stubbornly.

,,Well then let's go to your apartment."agreed Saracen.

............

,,Were are Saracen and Dexter?"asked Ghastly looking at the two beds were they should be.  
But they weren't here.  
He just hoped they didn't left with some internal bleeding.

,,They went without telling were they would go, but I assume they went home."replied the nurse, shrugging it off and walked away.

,,Well, what should we do now, search for them at there apartments or go and get a nice breakfast?"asked Tanith raising an eyebrow at him and smiling.

,,Breakfast it is."answered smiling at Tanith and kissing her softly.  
Thus was perfect, he wished nothingh would ever change now.

,,Elder? The election of a new Elder and grand mage needs organisation.  
Then there are several things that would need to be rebuilt.  
Of course there is a lot of paperwork and then we would need...."trailed the new administrator of, looking rather uncomfortable with bringing the bad news of....paperwork.

,,I'll do that after breakfast."replied Ghastly sighing, knowing that until there would be a new council it would be him who would have to do all this stuff.  
Alone.  
With Erskine Ravel gone and Madame Mist in jail he was the only one remaining.  
If Ghastly didn't knew better he would have thought that they left him alone on purpose with all the paperwork.

.........

The next world hadn't been what Darquesse had expected.  
For all she had knew she was the strongest person in all universe, after all she knew her true name, she was a true name.  
Every magic that she ever saw used, she could copy and even improve.  
And with that new body she was nearly as strong as when she had been in Valkyries body.  
Maybe even stronger, after all she didn't had to bother with that small voice whispering in her head anymore.  
Not now after Valkyrie was gone.

Finally she was not only the one in charge in her head, but she was alone too.

The way she had taken to achieve all this, had been long.  
At first she had been only a name, not even a person, but as soon as Valkyrie sealed her name she became....somethingh.  
Somethingh living and later with time she became somone.  
At first she was only a faint whisper in Valkyries head, nothingh more or less.  
Sometimes she wasn't even strong enligh to say anything.  
Often she had to use all her energy to say somethingh.  
But over time she grew stronger and the longer she existed the more she realised what she could be.

Suddenly she knew she hadn't to be just reduced to be a voice in a head, she could be in charge.  
If she could takeover the body, she could breath and walk and talk, eat and drink.

So she gathered more and more strength, became more and more independent and started to take over.  
In the end she won.

Later she lost the body again, but with al littel help she found the body she was now inhabiting.  
A body nearly as fitting as Valkyries had been.

After that she even evolved more.  
With help of the remants she gained so much knowledge.........

Her power seemed endless to her, at times she felt almighty.

But know she knew better.

As soon as she had destroyed the world she came from and had come to this, she had to learn better.  
Because she wasn't the most powerful person.

The faceless were.  
They had awaited her and fought her and she had... lost.  
As soon as she realised that she would lose, she had made a run for it.  
Using her teleporter magic she had vanished.  
Desperately she had tried to escape from that dimension, tried to get back.  
But she couldn't.  
There was only the possibility to go into another universe she could only move forward not back.

Knowing that the faceless were still hunting her, she took she opened the next portal she could and vanished.

It didn't need like she would have liked.

The world didn't seemed finished, there were only littel plantains no animals.  
None at all.  
No insects, not anything.  
Only grass and to her suprise gigantic mushrooms, nearly ten feet tall she guessed.  
Mushrooms and plants.  
Grat thought Darquesse and walked around, already bored.  
Gor a littel while she wanted to destroy it like her home dimension, but then she would be utterly alone.  
Even plants and mushrooms were better then nothingh.

But damn it it was boring and now she really was stuck.  
Because even trough she tried countless times, she couldn't leave this dimension.

I.am going to die off boredom thought Darquesse dryly.

.........Five years later......

I still don't know what to do. I can't even seem to remeber why I did all this. What the hell did I thoight when I tricked Skulldugery into taking me with him? Why didn't I listened to all the warnings I got? If I had staid away from magic, so much people would still live

.......

There would never have been Darquesse. I would never have killed my sister. That was the hardest of it all. Admitting to herself that she killed her own sister. Not in an accident, not because she didn't thought about it. I killed my own sister in cold blood. What kind of monster am I?

Vampires kill at night because it is their nature. But I am not a killer by nature, I am a killer because I chose too. Sighing Valkyrie put the book aside, with which she had tried to distract herself.

After so much time she still couldn't forget or forgive herself what she had done. Nothingh she did seemed to distract her from what haunted her on her dreams.

,,I need to go out."decoded Valkyrie and got up from her armchair. Maybe that would do the trick. Other humans, socialising, maybe even a littel flirting.

,,Good girl."muttered Valkyrie and petted Xena on the head before she left her littel house. In a result to be not bothered by annoying neighbours she had a house which was miles away from the next one.

Most of the times it made her feel calm and safe. But above all it was lonley. Changing into better looking clothes she made herself ready for a nice night.

Still at her age, she never really had gone out. Sure thre was the date with Fletcher, but that didn't really counted. She had been a teenager then, she was a woman now. Grapping her smartphone she checked the messages she got.

Some where from Tanith, asking her how she was doing. She replied fine, like she walks did.

Then she tucked her smartphone in her pocket and went out of the house and to her pickup. It wasn't a car like the Bently. Never classic nor was it rare. And it wasn't the car, her parents gave her as a gift. But it served its purpose and that was enough.

The drive to the next big city with night clubs was a hour and a half long and boring. Incredibly boring. The only thingh she saw was the flat land and once in a while a tree or a cow.

Almost no house was in sight and the ones she actually saw were part of a ranch. But slowly the road got broader and there were other cars. The houses became more.

............

The city was loud and full with lights and people. It wasn't even a big city, but for Valkyrie it still seemed to crowded and full off annoying noises and too strong smells of food. As soon as she found her way around she went to the bar she usually went too. It was a small and comfortable bar in a side street of the main street.

As soon as the door closed behind her she breathed out. Finally. For her, after so long isolating herself this littel city always seemed to crowded and loud.

,,A beer please."saud Valkyrie to the bartender, a young woman with a nice smile and took a seat. Looking around she saw a man and a woman talking in a corner, probably a couple.

There was a group of three woman and two woman seated at a table on the left side, obviously arguing over somethingh. And there was a woman all on her own drinking a beer at a table like Valkyrie was.

But diffrent to Valkyrie she was obviously waiting for somone to get here. Even know surrounded by people I am still alone, realised Valkyrie.

With a sigh she took a sip of her beer and hoped it would help her calm down. Relax, she told herself, maybe you will meet somone who is nice. Rember, you went to this bar, to meet new people.

As soon as the door opened again Valkyrie turned around and watched a man come in. He would be a nice catch, noticed Valkyrie, he looked muscular and his blonde hair fell in his face in a nice way.

Long but still attractive. His brown suit was nice enligh too she thought too. It all reminded her off Tanith. Before she went to the USA, Tanith took her out one ot two times.

Tanith had told her about guys while they were out and about her experiences.

Even then Valkyrie understood that Tanith was trying to tell her, how a good boyfriend was supposed to treat her and how not. It had been a crashcurs in the subject : Don't dare a bad guy, dare a good one.

And Valkyrie understood that too, Tanith wanted her to be save and that was the best she could do. Well I don't have to date him, if he us abadi guy, thought Valkyrie.

A night it two would do. Wait why is he wearing sunglasses, it is in the middle of the night?! Well, he does look good with them, but still...?

Who would ever wear...?

Oh no. That is.....

,,Hello littel darling missed me?"asked Bily-Ray with a grin and walked straight over to her.

,,Not really."replied Valkyrie and narrowed her eyes. Tanith had told her about him. Billy-Ray lived after fighting the white Cleaver and was pardoned for his actions and since he hadn't done anything wrong they knew off, he was a free man. Still, she thought, he should not in prison.

,,Ah, come on. Just admit that you miss the good ol' times, fighting me with the Skeleton on your side. It was all so easy back then."ended the exkiller with a sigh and for a moment she saw sadness on his face.

,,These times are gone."replied Valkyrie. Even trough I wish them back. Back then she had been one of the good ones, now she was one of the bad ones. Or if not a bad one then she was a ex-boss one. An exkiller like Sanguin.

,,So, tell me, what are ya doing here? I always thought you and funny bones were doing that detective stuff only in ireland."

,,I am on a vacation you could say."answered Valkyrie. At the same time she tried to figure out why she was even taking to Sanguin. After all he had been her enemy for a long time.

Maybe he was here trying to kill her....

Or maybe...... No, he isn't here to kill me decided Valkyrie. Looking at the Texan, she understood why he was here. There were dark circles under his eyes and his grin didn't seemed completly honest.

His grin seemed forced. And then there was the way his shoulders seemed hunched and the way he was so enthusiastic to see her. He was lonley. Still she could and probably should have gone. But she stays. She was lonley too.

So, they both stayed and talked to each other and it wasn't to bad, guesses Valkyrie. She learned that he had bought a house in Texas, actually not far from hers and was kind of taking a vacation. Like her.

She learned that he occasionally met with Dusk and some other people he knew from the time when he was bad. But there was a woman too he said who was one of the good ones and was a friend, he supposed.

In return she told him about her talks with Tanith and about her dog.

She told him about her training in various fighting sports. He told her about his. The time went by and suddenly the bar was closing down and they had to go.

,,Damn it, I am to drunk to drive back."thoight Valkyrie out loud. It all had started with one beer, but soon they both had second and a third. Not good.

,,Then don't."

Suprised Valkyrie starred at Sanguin, she couldn't help it. Was he actually suggesting....?

,,Stay with me."

He was actually suggesting that she would spent the night with him. Wow. She was about to go back with a killer to his home. That is the way some horror movies start. But this isn't one reminded Valkyrie herself.

,,Well, then let's go."

.........

He had a nice hotel room.

Because he had to stay a few days in the area, meeting an old friend, explained Sanguin. The walls were painted a shining white and the furniture was mostly made out of dark wood. Both of them stumbled into the apartment, fired and drunk. I shouldn't have drunk so much, thought Valkyrie.

Neither of them bother changing clothes or taking of their shoes, they just went to bed. When Valkyrie laid down on the mattress she just closed her eyes and enjoyed the simple fact, that she could sleep.

Next to her lay the exkiller, not moving apart from breathing, probably already asleep.

.............

,,Marry me."

The time was perfect, only half an hour they finished eating in a nice restaurant. After that they paid and gave a good tip and went for a walk.

The day was good, there was no cloud in sight, the sky all blue and the sun shone on them. It was afternoon and the temperature was just right, neither tto cold, nore to warm.

The place was perfect too.

The restaurant was in a nice littel village and they were surrounded from green hills and all in a all by nature. But the most important thingh wasn't perfect. His boyfriends reaction.

,,Dex, I love you...."

,,No......No. You can't you just....."slowly Dexter's smile faded and he felt like an idiot. He was kneeling and he was sure his trousers were getting dirty. Plus he had it all planned out.....

,,Oh Dex, I will always say yes to you. But are you sure?"asked Saracen him. A weigh fell from Dexter's heart.

,,Of course I am sue and of course it is a yes."answered Dexter and smiled broadly. The answer was yes!

,,Well then....." With a grin Saracen helped him up and pulled him into a kiss. I am kidding my fiancee right now thought Dexter and felt himself relaxing. This had been his plan for a long time, now and he was so glad it worked all out. It was perfect.

.........

,,This is perfect."decided Tanith and looked at Ghastly, sitting opposite of her. They had gone this quite frequently, it had become even kind of a ritual.

Ever week, at the same dat abd at around the same time they would take some time off. Sone time only reserved for themselves. Date night. Candles lit the room and like so often there were two steaks on the plates. It remebered Tanith of the first date they had. It had been perfect then too.

But even trough there surroundings resemble there first date, many other things had changed.  
They had become officially girlfriend and boyfriend.  
Soon after that Tanit moved together in with Ghastly and she started working partly for the Sanctuary.  
She still kept most of her freedom, accepting some of the jobs, the sanctuary offered and refusing some too.  
Ghastly still worked as an elder with Chinaas a grand mage.

But tonight evermore would change.  
Looking around Tanith broke onto a simle.  
For her it seemed like they were back at their starting point, just better.  
And it is even going to get better after tonight.

One of her hands wandered to her pocket and grapped the small box.  
I wish Valkyrie will have on day the same experience.  
Sitting opposite of her dream guy, knowing what will happen in the next minutes.

,,Thank you Tan, I always do my best."replied Ghastly with a soft smile. His warm brown eyes looked at her with that expression she loved.

Because his eyes seemed to tell her that he loved her. If eyes are really the windows to the soul, thought Tanith, then I have found the the right guy. His eyes were of a dark brown and seemed so deep and warm. For her they were like a warm fire, which warms your house in the winter.

These were the theses of a man who was nice, kind, romantic, thoughtful and loyal.

These were the eyes of the man she loved.

,,I know."replied Tanith.

Because she did knew that he always gave his best. Every dare was somhow specialties to him it seemed.

Maybe it was because his job as an elder was so incredibly boring. But she appreciated it all the same.

At first she had wanted to ask him after they had eaten, but she couldn't wait anymore.  
Over the years she had learnt, that she may not age in the normal way, but that the world still changed with an amazing speed.  
The world is moving on.  
I can't wait, thought Tanith.  
Everything can happen and I want to have Ghastly by my side.  
Forever.

,,Tanith? You look distracted.... is somethingh not right?"asked Ghastly concered.

,,No, everything is right.  
Everything is perfect."replied Tanith with a smile and breathed deep in.  
This was a moment to be really brave.  
She had fought vampires, killers and the white Cleaver.  
But for her this was more terrifying.  
Because she couldn't imagine a world mit Ghastly anymore.  
He was everything.

Assembling all her courage she stood first up and then knelt in front of Ghastly.  
It felt strange, to sit in front of him like this and her heart was beating to fast.  
But all that was meaningless only his answer mattered.

Taking the littel boxoit of her pocket she looked up at him and smiled weakly.  
His eyes were wide open in suprise and he didn't seemed to already have figured out what she was doing.

,,Ghastly Bespoke, will you marry me?"asked Tanith with an unshaken, strong voice hiding her fear the best she could.  
With one hand she flipped the box open, showing the ring inside of it.  
Please say yes.

,,Of course I will."answered Ghastly and the suprise made place for pure happiness filling his face completly out.

Immediately Ghadtly helped her up, always beeing a gentleman.  
As soon as she stood she leaned forward and kissed him.  
God she was kissing her fiance!  
Her heart seemed to feel with joy and she felt incredibly light.  
With him by my side, everythinghseems possible.

...........

He couldn't breath.  
Gasping he tried to suck air into his lungs, while his heart raced with fear.  
Sweat was staring to cover his face and he felt the blood in his windpipe.  
At the same time he was bleeding out, feeling his life leaving him fast.  
He felt himself dying becoming weaker and weaker.  
Please it can't end like this.  
His lungs burned and his heart raced, but there seemed to be no oxygen in the littel amount of air he could get into his lungs.  
I want to live.  
Most of what found it's way into his lungs was his own blood, making him it impossible to breath.  
Making it impossible to live.  
No, not like this, please.  
Slowly the world seemed to darken and his whole suit was soaked trough with blood.  
I want to live.  
This can't be the end.  
In one last desperate attempt, his hands wandered to his throat and tried to stop the bleeding.  
Tried to give him a littel more time.

But there was no blood.  
This isn't happening, realised Sanguin.  
With a sigh of relief he woke up.  
Only another nightmare, but it always seemed so real....  
Every time it was the same, the fight and then his almost death.  
After five year he was still scared of dying this way.

Slowly he opened his eyelids and looked around.  
He was still in his hotel room, he had expected that.  
What he hadn't expected was the woman lying next to him.  
Valkyrie Cain.  
How drunk was I?, questioned Sanguin himself.

Looking at her he realised she wasn't sleeping anymore.  
No, she was looking at him wide awake, probably woken up from him and his nightmare.  
She looked as if she had been about too wake him up, trying to save him from his nightmare.

,,Do you want to talk about it?"asked Valkyrie, her dark eyes looking questioning at him.  
Or at least in his direction, after all she couldn't see him.

,,No."answered Sanguin curtly and got up. Without saying anything he left the room and went to the bathroom. He needed to clear his head. He need to shower. 

....... 

While Sanguin was going to the bathroom, Valkyrie flicked the light on and got up herself. Drawing the curtains back and looking out of the window, she could see that it was still so early in the morning, that everything was pitch black. To early to be awake, reckoned Valkyrie. But there was no point trying to go to sleep again, not at this time and not with her sleep problems. Not while she still remebered the horrible sound ofSanguin gasping for air in his sleep. 

It had sounded like he was dying. But he hasn't. Not he. Still she was remebered of all the dead people on her life. All the deaths she was responsible for. Alice. I killed my own sister. 

Closing her eyes she breathed out and went out of the room. She could hear Sanguin talking a shower now, he was presumably trying to shake the memory of the nightmare. A thingh Valkyrie understood much to well for her liking. Most of her nights, she did it too, to escape her dreams. Not that it helped much, but it always brought her back in the real world. 

Switching the light on in a room, that resembled the living room, she found a few books. Seeing that they were mostly fantasy books and well used she concluded they just be Sanguins. Taking one of them, she seated herself in a big, comfortable looking armchair. He will probably not mind that I took one of his books, thought Valkyrie and started reading. 

...... 

Shuddering Sanguin got out of the shower, while took a towel and rubbed hind dry, he was dripping water on the carpet. The surprisingly cold shower had helped him clear his mind and come back to reality. I am not dead, told Sanguin himself harshly. But deep down he knew that this wouldn't change much, there were more nightmares still ahead. 

Looking out of the window he saw that it was still dark, but there was no way that he would get back to sleep. As soon as he was in a new suit he left the bathroom and went searching for Valkyrie. 

,,It is good book isn't it?"asked Sanguin amused and took a seat in the armchair opposite of Valkyrie. 

Looking up from her book she looked at him,like he was a puzzle. He could literally see her thinking, watching him with these dark eyes af of he was one of her detective jobs. A mistry she had to figure out and solve. Not that he would let her. She had a few clues, about what was going on, but she didn't needed to know all of it. 

Not that she was the only one watching and looking for clues, trying to figure out what was wrong. Looking at her he found his own clues, in the way there was a hint of understanding in her eyes. A sign that she had her own demons to deal with and her own nightmares. 

,,It is indeed an interesting book."replied Valkyrie and neither own of them bothered to keep talking. Sanguin had made it clear that he didn't wanted to talk and Valkyrie respected that. Probably another clue, thought Sanguin, she is acting according to my wishes, because she knows what it feels like when your own wishes are ignored. Maybe the Skeleton tried to pressure her into talking. Or the sword lady. Remembering her still hurt. He loved her so damn much. Sometimes he cursed himself for ever getting together with her. Because the more he knew her, the more it hurt. Learning what she liked and what it, learning what person Tanith was hurt. Because he loved her more and more. Seeing her fight and beeing herself made him fall harder and harder. Even with the remant in her he had seen what Tanith once had been and could be again. A good person. That was the woman he loved until his heart ached and his lungs burnt. That was the woman he was ready to die for. 

After he had seen her remant free he had been completely lost. She destroyed me, thought Sanguin. She utterly destroyed me and she doesn't even know. 

.......... 

,,I don't know what you even want from me." 

,,Maybe it isn't what you want from me, but rather what you want from me."pointed the man out.

,,And what would I want from you, that can't have else wise?"asked the Skeleton tilting his head, in his typical way.

,,I don't know? Company? Somone to talk to? A good conversation partner? A friend?  
Or a reminder of your guilt?"cam the last question out, softly and still to audible fir Skulldugery liking.

His guilt.  
It was somethingh that still haunted him and would fir much more years from now to go.  
His guilt.  
All the people he killed, all the familys he destroyed and all the friends he betrayed.  
His guilt.  
What a short and still so awfully fitting word, but not even near describing all what he felt.  
His guilt.

,,So that's it? I am here as product of your subconscious trying to remind you of all your guilt?"asked the man slowly, like he was unsure.

And with a time that indicated that he didn't like to be reduced to some who only was passing a massage on.  
His dark brown eyes started to look......pissed.

,,How do you know that you aren't real?"asked Skulldugery the man, he had once known so well.

,,I don't know if I am a hallucinating or some sort of weird ghost haunting you.  
I don't know much to be honest."admitted the mean with a frown.  
Clearly displeased not being sure about the informations he had just given.  
,,Let us just presume I am a product of your subconscious for now, OK?"

,,What brings us to the question, why your subconscious is trying to tell you something with me."realised the man.

,,If you aren't a hallucinating of me, then honestly you don't want to know."muttered the detective and sounded for once.....defeated.  
Because he knew that he couldn't change what he had done.  
You always could change the future, but never the past.

,,Why wouldn't I?  
Is there some big secret I am not supposed to know?"asked the man frowning, his dark eyes starring at the Skeleton, demanding an answer.

,,Please, you don't want to know......"

,,You onow, that you saying that makes me just more curious....?  
So what secret is it?  
Let us do this strategically.....  
Did you have somethingh with my girlfriend?"asked the man raising an eyebrow.

,,You never had girlfriend according to my knowledge."pointed the Skeleton out.

,,Not to your knowledge........"came theamused reply.  
Skullduggery wasn't sure if it was a bluff or a serious suggestion, but he let it slip.  
Most of the time he knew that man, he had been married.  
,,So let us just exclude that possibility.  
The next one I think is......betrayal."

His friend was looking at Skulldugery, obviously waiting for him to dismiss it.  
Skulldugery said nothingh.

Slowly he saw his friends smile fade.

,,No,you can't be serious......no this must be some kind of suck joke.  
You never betrayed us. You were always with us."argued his old friend, thinking out loud.  
His dark eyes were wide in suprise and they looked panic, as if he was already discovering the truth.

,,Not always."said Skulldugery quickly, almost not audible.  
Almost.

,,No.....no, this can't....no....you can't be serious.  
Please tell me......"

,,I am so sorry."apoligezed Skulldugery once again,but thre was no point.  
Nothingh he had done he could ever even think of making up for.

,,You....you are Lord Vile?  
How could you?"asked his friend his eyes showing his hurt, his unbelievable pain.

,,I am sorry."

,,Don't.  
You killed Ghastlys mother.  
Your best friends mother, I saw it with my own eyes.  
No.  
Tell me this isn't true."

,,I am sorry."

,,Don't say that, just tell me I am crazy, tell me I am not right."

,,I can't."

,,If you are Lord Vile... ."

,,I was Lord Vile, I am not anymore."interrupted the Skeleton.

,,Still, if you were him.....  
Then you just decided to watch?"

,,I wasn't myself back then."

,,Don't make excuses!  
You watched, you stood by and you watched!  
You saw them take me......you saw them take me and you knew what they were going to do!  
And you just did......nothingh."

,,At that point I was diffrent.....I didn't cared."

,,So you just stood back and watched......while they captured me, tortured me and then.....after years killed me."it wasn't a question, it was statement of a fact.  
Still Skulldugery felt the need to confirm it.

,,I did. I watched and I didn't did anything."

,,You were tortured to, you know how awful it is. You know what it feels like to be helpless and to know you can't do anything."

,,I do."

,,How could you just do nothingh?"  
He could hear what he had always dreaded so much.  
For once he heared the pain he had inflicted.  
Not the pain, he had given a enemy, no this was the pain of one of the priests had had loved.

,,I didn't cared."  
It was a honest reply and a heartless one,but back then he had been this.  
Heartless.  
Cold.  
A monster.

,,You watched them capture me, torture me and killed me. I guess you even heard my screams and you didn't cared?" 

This time Skulldugery didn't even bothered to answer. 

,,I gave my life for pur cause and you didn't cared." The words were sad, but yet still strong and determined. The moment he looked up he could see his friend leave. 

,,Don't worry I'll come back and when I am back I'll make you pay."told his friend him, the door already closing behind him. 

Skulldugery said nothingh. There was nothingh left to say. 

.......... 

,,This is my dog."explained Valkyrie and added ,,Xena Billy-Ray, Billy-Ray this is Xena." 

,,Ince to met ya."muttered the killer and knelt down and petted Xena slowly. Her dog looked happy enough. 

,,Are you going to stay for dinner?"asked Valkyrie and couldn't believer her ears. She was inviting her former enemy to dinner. Niw, I am official crazy or hallucinating thought Valkyrie. 

,,Sure, do you want to cook, or should I?"asked Sanguin in his usual lazy drawl. 

,,You cook."decided Valkyrie instanylt. If she could she still avoided every possibility to cook. It wasn't like she hated it, but neither she liked it. And if she could do something else with her time she was always glad, cooking just seemed like a waste of time. 

,,Good, so what do you have and what do you want to eat?"asked Sanguin snd added ,,And most important where us your kitchen?" 

...... 

She couldn't believe her eyes. Sanguin was cooking in her kitchen and humming a sing at the same time looking relaxed and happy. Is he really enjoying this? She had never really found any reason to like cooking and she probably never would find one, she was much more content seeing Sanguin cook. Plus judging from the way he acted he even knew what he was doing. Without a recipe. She was impressed. 

.......... 

Beeing a sensitive wasn't easy. Most if the times it was more of a curse than a blessing. For an instant around Christmas, she dreaded that day, because she always knew what presents she was going to get. It just made no fun when the suprise was spoilt. 

But sometimes it was useful. Incredibly life saving useful. Like now. She had always considered herself a peaceful person, somone who only used violence if there was no other option left. Some people thought her a cowards, because of this, she knew. But she had always seen at as a sign of strength to not give in into the violence, even trough sometimes it seemed like the right thingh. No, it wasn't cowardly to not use violence, it was a sign of strength, to be true to yourself and not lowering yourself to the level of your enemies. 

Still, maybe she couldn't avoid a littel violence right know. With a sigh Thana got up from her armchair and put her book on the dinner table. It was time to move, she could feel it. This wasn't like her often suprisingly clear and strong visions, no this was more of a vague gut feeling. Still it was somethingh she had to take seriously. 

After all this meant her life was in danger. 

And judging from the way it felt, resembling the feeling of knowing she was watched, it was going to happen soon. 

Death is coming. 

Thana made a decision and walked to the door and left, with that she left the security of her hotel room behind her. But deep down she doubted that the walls or security system would be a serious problem for somone who tried to kill her. 

For a moment she tried to think of somone who would want to kill her, but then she had made some powerful enemies and some she wouldn't even know of. Plus she had no time for this. Determined she started to walk trough the corridor and made her way to the stairs. The elevator just felt wrong, maybe because who ever was after her, had a plan involving the elevator. Whatever it was she used the stairs, even trough her room was in the fourth floor. 

While she walked downstairs the feeling got stronger. It can't be much longer, I need somewhere safe. There was no way she could fight if whoever's was the hunter. Even trough she could fight, they would probably be armed and she wasn't. 

I need to find somone who can fight them, realised Thana. Easier said then done. The first thingh that came to her mind was the American sanctuary, but she couldn't get ther in time and she certainly didn't liked the idea of it. So not the sanctuary then. There was of course the possibility of trying to hide in the crowd, hoping it would make it harder to find her. But that would endanger innocent people. Well then there us only one option left. Aylin. 

The feeling got stronger. I need some more time, thought Thana and stryed to take two stairs with one step. Well then, I have to hope she is were I hope she is. 

Following her feeling she walked without looking tight or left and left the hotel. I have to take the left, realised Thana and walked fast trough the streets. She didn't broke into a sprint, that would make it to obvious that she knew what was happening. 

I have at least try to look like I know nothingh. Concentrating on finding Aylin, she walked trough the streets and let her feeling lead her. I wouldn't have to run, if I were a sanctuary sensitive. Since the day most sensitive had been killed overnight, the sanctuary had done it's best to make sure the same wouldn't happen to the ones left. Or at least not to the ones that happened to work for the sanctuary. She didn't worked for the sanctuary. Well next time I get an offer I will think twice about it, thought Thana grimly. Or I will move to Ireland, there she knew a few of the dead man and other people. People who were fighter and could help her in such cases. Here in the USA she only had Aylin, not that Aylin wasn't good. Truth be told she thought that Aylin could probably beat the most people in Ireland, but Aylin was one person and in Ireleand she the were more. As soon as he turned around another corner, she knew it was the last one. There wasn't something special about it, she just had a feeling. Looking around her her look was drawn to a skyscraper or ratger to the doors, that lead into the skyscraper. That is were I have to be, if I want to survive. Taking a deep breath and making herself ready Thana crossed the road and walked straight towards it. Timing was everything, she couldn't reach the entrance to early or the killer would panic and try to kill her, before she disappeared. Neither she could take to much time or she would miss her chance she knew that too. Looking at the entrance and walking towards she started to know why Aylin was here. This must be one of her bodyguards jobs, realised Thana. Well know you won't only have to keep one person safe but mee two. Then when she was only forty feet away, the doors open. I am going to be to late, realised Thana, seeing a car moving trough the street and stopping before the doors. I have to move now. With a sigh, she broke into a sprint. Oy a second later, she heard the sound of somone brawling into a sprint too. She didn't bothered to turn around, she had no time for this. Her legs were telling her, that they weren't supposed to sprint, she always went jogging and never trained for sprinting. Stupid mistake. But one she couldn't correct right now. Suddenly a shot was fired and a bullet went lose, immediately Thana knew that it wouldn't hit her. But the fact the whoever was behind her was firing a bullet in her direction made the situation much more dangerous. Because it meant that they weren't connected about attention or incident bystanders or fighting in public. Damn it thought Thaba. Only twenty more feet. Trough the doors came now a familiar figure. Not a woman, like she had expected, but familiar all the same. Roaring a cougar jumped out of the doors and started sprinted. If she had had the Time Thaba would have watched the amazing cat and her graceful movements. But she hadn't the time so she didn't. The car passed her and went for her attacker and she heared a panicked scream from behind. A few others, probably bystanders screamed too and fled. The sight of a cougar in the city was probably knew yo them. Well, thought Thana, at least I made their day a littel more interesting. And with a littel kick no one would get hurt. Now that Aylin was taking down the attakcher the doors opened and a man walked out, followed by another one . The first one seemed to be the bodyguard and the second one the one they were protecting. Slowing down Thana was suddenly standing before them.

,,Cine with us."urged her the bodyguard and Thana knew that she had to ho with them.  
At least if she wanted to live.

All of them went into the car, and the driver didn't hesitated or waited for Aylin to join them, he just stryed driving.  
Persumly bringing them to the next safe stop.

What a heel of a day, thougt Thana looking back at the cougar and her attacker, still fighting.

...........

To her own suprise she and Sanguin had started to meet once or twice a week.  
But it was probably pure logic, both if them were all in all alone and lonely, both of them had nightmares and stuff to deal with, they didn't wanted to deal with.  
So it was probably quite logical.

They even trained close combat together once or twice.  
She had to admit he was good,not as good as the dead man, but still good.

To her own suprise he was a good influence, at least on her social life.  
They started to go out together and met other people, talking and having fun in general.

I am back,thought Valkyrie sitting in her armchair and reading a book.  
Nit that age was planning on going back to Ireland, but she planned on doing somethingh.  
She had plans.  
Going to a pretty tomorrow, the next day was movie night and they would probably meet again soon.  
She had realised that Sanguin needed her company as much as she needed his.  
Maybe even more.

After five true awful years, tgus was the first time she really lived again.  
It seemed like huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.  
As if knowing that others had their difficulties to move on, made her realise that she wasn't alone.  
That she wasn't the only one who killed.

.........

Around her the world was filled with life.  
What had been a world only full of plants was now a world filled with animals of all kind.  
There were littel bird flying trough the air, filling the sky with their song.  
There were rabbits and mouse eating, fleeing from predators and raising their children.

Abd much,much more lifes, most of them not entirely correct.  
After all they were made from somone who had no idea how to make life.  
She had only knew how to destroy it.

That was why some of the birds had four wings, instead of two or why there rabbits with fur that was green and violet.  
Some if the foxes had three tails and more than one species had to much eyes.

But she was proud all the same.  
At least I am not alone anymore, thought Darquesse and looked at what she had done.  
What had taking such a long at her home dinsesions she had done in five years.

There were many species she had brought to life, from the small ones like moses and insects to the big ones deers, cows, giraffes and wolves and lions.

Over time she had even gone to the poles and created penguins.

Still looking around she often felt alone, the only one of her species.  
The only human.

Or at least human alike, thought Darquesse, after all I am more than a mere human.  
She had brought living things into the world.  
But she had learned once again that she wasn't almighty.  
Not every body she put together came to live.  
Over times she had to come to terms with the registration that she could do everything right.  
She could make a fox, with legs, fur, skin, organs, bones, DNA, brain and do everything right.  
Still not all of them came to live.

Some of them opened their eyes and instantly started living, getting up and taking their surroundings curiously in.  
Some of them never opened their eyes at all, she gave them all they needed, but still they refused to lived.  
Some of them opened there eyes.  
But they never stayed long in this world, she could see it in theirs eyes.  
The spark of life in their eyes was already fading, when they opened them.

As if their life was a lit candle that was small and weak, neither burning bright nor long.

Sawing them live and knowing they would die was hard, she tried everything.  
She brought them back to love once or twice, making their heat beat, making their lungs breath.  
But in the end the light in their eyes faded.

Sitting down she took littel break.  
After all she was alone.  
Utterly and completly alone.

............

Sensiteves aren't fighters as a rule.  
There us a resin they chose a discipline where they don't have to fight.  
Maybe because they want to avoid violence or maybe because they aren't good at it.  
Sometimes it is a treat they are born with it and not a choice at all.  
Like he didn't had one, not back then.  
Not when he had lost everything and had to hide, fromenemies and friends alike.  
It had been his only escape and it had proved to be a trap.

But that they aren't fighters doesn't mean they aren't easy victims or targets.  
As a rule they are quite difficult to kill.  
It is like to win access game were your opponent knows the next three steps you are going to take.  
Always ahead.

But that didn't made it impossible to kill them.  
You just have no plan and he exactly did that.  
He didn't planned, he just improvised.  
All he ever did was responding to the circumcantes he was given and because they changed all the time in the future his reactions were almost unpredictable.  
Not entirely.  
But close enough.

Then man walking trough the street seemed quite happy with himself.  
He smiled and walked with a certainly happiness, ulyou could see only by watching him that there just have been somethingh great happening in his life.

Watching the man, he followed close by.  
Of course he wasn't starring at his target, that would be obvious, he was trained better then this.  
In the end it came all down to things he had learned.  
Years of learning, getting btlraineashed and drilled had turened him into an efficient killer.

There was no hestiation when he made himself ready.  
No regret, no pity for his victim.  
He was just obeying orders.  
Like he always did.


	3. Chapter 3

One good thingh had come with going to the USA and living almost completly alone.  
Away from her family and loved ones, trying to punish herself for what she had done.  
Trying to punish herself for all the people she killed.  
All the lives she destroyed.

But it all had one advantage.  
She could sleep as long as she wanted.  
There was never a reason to get up early, their were no cases to be solved.  
No friends or family that wanted her to get up early, to do somethingh together.  
And even know that she met occasionally with Sanguin, there was no reason to get up early.  
After all he was nearly as lazy at her, when at came to getting up.  
At least she thought so, because they never met before afternoon.

So when her smartphone started ringing it took her some time to get up.  
Opening her eyes wasn't easy, she knew that she wouldn't go back to sleep, or more exactly couldn't.  
But the bed was so comfortable.......  
Hoping it would just stop, she refused to get up, or even to open her eyes.  
But the ringing continued.  
Damn it.  
With a groan she opened her eyes.  
First step taken.  
With a sigh she rolled over and grapped her smartphone from her bedside cabinet.

I hope this is good.....

,,Yes?"asked Valkyrie, she knew it was rude, but in her opinion it was to early in the morning.  
So anyone who dared calling at thus hour of the day deserved it.

,,Am I speaking with Valkyrie Cain?"asked a voice, a make recognised Valkyrie.  
Probably one hundred years old, not much older or younger.  
And he is falling because he wants to talk business, at least his professional and ordered voice made it seem so.  
Probably from the sanctuary.

,,Yes."answered Valkyrie curtly.  
Still she saw no reason to be nice, after all it was still in the ring, theft that he was presumably calling with sanctuary busines didn't changed that fact.  
All in all it made her only more grumpy.

,,We may need your help."

,,May?"

,,Indeed.  
Someone died."

,,that isn't a crime on itself.  
People die."

,,Well it was murder."

,,So you need me to find his murderer?"

,,No, we need you to find who was paying him.  
The killer we have already in custody."

.........

It wasn't fun to deal with the Santuary.  
Not even when it was helping you, maybe especially not when it was helping you.  
All in all it was pretty annoying.  
Of course she was glad that they were trying to find the one who was trying to kill her.  
Of course she was glad that they helped save her life.  
Of course she was glad that they were protecting her.  
And she had no problem with the bodyguards that were following her, ir at least not for now.  
She had no problem with the questions, which seemed to be randomly thrown at her.

But paperwork?  
Really?  
Once again she was reminded why she didn't worked for the sanctuary.  
Not only because an organisation so big and with so much power was bound to be corrupt.  
It was too because it was so incredibly boring.

With a sigh she filled the blank gaps in the paperwork,but she hoped she never would have to do it again.

,,Ready?"asked Keres suddenly, she hadn't even noticed him cought in. He was the other man of the bodyguard, a man who worked for the sanctuary as a body guard. Short black hair was covering his head and his blue eyes were watching her. Waiting for her to get ready.

,,Sure."replied Thana and got up in one swift movement. By now she knew that he would bring her back to something resembling an apartment. But not really an apartment, because it was underneath the earth and was more old a safe house.

Except to wasn't a house. As far as she knew, it was built only the sanctuary to make it easier to protect people.

A good idea, but she didn't liked it, because it meant she was living right now in the sanctuary. It made her feel more like a prisoner than anything else. And theonger she stayed the more she got the idea that she indeed was a prisoner.

,,So now that it is done, can I go back?"asked Thana, trying to appear all nice and grateful. But deep down all she wanted was to get far, far away from the sanctuary to get her freedom back.

,,Not yet, you are still in danger."came the instant reply without any reason given. For a second, she wanted to argue back, to point out that she was young to be in danger for a long time. Maybe weeks, or even months. And what if they never found out, who was behind that at all?

They couldn't keep her locked up forever, could they? But she didn't argued, she feared that Islamic age would they would get sucpiuis and keep an eyes on her.

No, she had to wait for an opportunity to steal herself away. She couldn't trust the sanctuary but on this.

...........

,,There has been a murder."

,,So I have heard."

,,I am not talking about the sensitive that was murdered yesterday. I am talking about the sensitive that was murdered this very morning."pointed Ghastly out.

,,I see."replied Skulldugery, tilting his head.

,,I very much doubt that."replied Ghastly with a sigh.

,,You seem concered."

,,Because I am. This weren't just any sensitives that were murdered Skul. This were two of the last strong ones we have. If our sensitive are continuing to drop like the flies we are going to have a problem. For the sanctuary the sensitieves are the eyes, without them we are going blind."pointed Ghastly out and once again he looked like it was to much.

Skulldugery had started to notice the dark circles under Ghastlys eyes in the past week and the way his brown eyes looked sometimes sad and lost.

,,This has to do somethingh with politics."figured Skulldugery slowly out.

,,I fear so my friend."admitted Ghastly and smiled sadly. Both of them still had to fight the urge to just ignore the politic. When they had been the dead man, they had jumped into the action and had not cared for any politic. They could be impulse and reckless back then.

They hadn't needed to be careful and watch every of their moves. There was nothingh at the time they had to care for. Nothingh that hold them back. But now potics were important, the Sanctuarys had all to be diplomatic and polite towards each other. There was a truce they tried to preserve.

,,But they are only two dead people. I know that there are still dozen more sensitive."

,,True, but most of thses sensiteves are not in the USA or at least don't work for the sanctuary. It isn't only the fact that two sensors are dead, it is the fact that two sensors of the USA sanctuary are dead."

,,You mean the balance is shifting."

,,Indeed and that isn't good, after all who is going to take advantage of it? One if pur many enemies? And what if it is only the beginning? We have to protect our own sensitivies."

.........

Samguin knew something had changed when he knocked at the door and Valkyrie opened it with a serious voice.  
He figured out it must be bad, because normally she was excited when he came fir their usual movie night.  
To his suprise she was as much a fun of movies like he was.  
As a result they made movie marathons with Star wars, the hobbit and many other fantasy movies.  
Watching movies was always nice and somethingh he liked to do, but it was so much better when you had somone to watch it with.  
Not because they talked during the movie or something like that.  
It was just the fact that somone was thre that was enligh.  
Knowing that there was someone who enjoyed it too.

,,What is it?"asked Sanguin in an instant.  
Strange how things changed, thought Sanguin.  
Only a month ago there was no one he cared about (apart from Thanith) and know that .  
He was actually concered strange.  
Most of his life there was no one he cared about.  
That was a change, realised Sanguin and he wasn't sure he liked it.  
Because to care meant to get hurt.

,,The sanctuary called."

............

The body was lying in a dark puddle of blood, there was nothing suprising to it.  
There were no really clues, no struggle, no sign of a fight.  
It looked like business.

,,What do you think?"asked Sanguin and looked over at Valkyrie.  
Seeing her like this, made him realise that he only knew very littel of her.  
He knew only the hurt and lost side of her.  
This was an entirely new side, she was acting like age knew what she was doing.  
Probably because she did knew what to do.

,,I think I know were to start."declared Valkyrie then and turned around leaving then scene behind her.

With a frown Sanguin looked at the corpse, to him it still looked like a kill, with no signs or clues or even hints.  
There was nothing interesting or special about it.  
Unless that was a client on itself, Sanguin was official clueless.

........... 

Do I even exist?  
Just because I think, does that really means I exist?  
Who am I?  
Where have I come from?  
I remeber who I am, what I fought for.  
A long time from now, I walked over the earth and I was sure back then that I am.  
But was I mistaken even back then?

Because I know that I am dead.  
I know that for sure.  
My heart stopped and my brain stopped working.  
So what am I doing here?  
Have I been somehow been brought back to live?  
And were am I going to?  
If I am not dead anymore what dies that mean?  
What happened to me?  
What is going to happen?

.........

,,You have a clue?"

It was a sharp reminder that this wasn't Skulldugery who was here with her.  
It wasn't his velvet voice which was taking to her, no this voice had an southern accent and belonged to an most of the time incredibly annoying human beeing.

,,I do."

,,So what is the clue?"

Once again she was reminded that this wasn't Skulldugery.  
He would never have to ask, he would already know.  
But then Skullduggery was a detective.  
Wait.....

,,Shouldn't you have figured it out?  
You were a detective yourself once."pointed Valkyrie out.  
Somehow it seemed to her not right to do this without Skulldugery.  
As if she was moving on and was leaving him behind.

,,I told you too, that I wasn't a good detective."  
True enough thought Valkyrie.  
Well, then it seemed like she had to tell him.....

,,Have you noticed how much blood thre was and how clean the cut was?  
How precise it was and how deep?  
Just deep enough to kill fast but not any deeper?"

,,Now that you mention it.....yes I see why this could be a clue......."

,,You haven't gotten the slightested clue what I am talking about, have you?"

,,In my defence I made my living always with killing people, not with investigating there murder."  
Valkyrie rolled her eyes at that.

,,Have you ever seemed somone getting killed by a Cleaver?"asked Valkyrie raising an eyebrow.

,,Actually I did. But you don't think that was a Ckever, don't you?"asked Sanguin, looking now utterly confused.

,,Of course I don't think that.  
After all the man was working for the sanctuary, obviously it must be a retired Cleaver."replied Valkyrie.

,,Oh, yeah now I get it.  
So now we are going to question all retired Cleavers?"asked Sanguin grinning, looking rather proud for having figured it now out. ,,Well not directly, first we will do the research." ,,Reserach? Oh damn it, that makes me want to quit this job all over again." ,,After only one hour? Must be a new record." .............. His phone was ringing. That itself seemed like a small wonder to him. Only a few people were entrusted with his number and not one of them ever rining him, they all only ever used messages as a way to communicate. Raising his eyebrow he got up and moved the few steps from his armchair to his smart phone. For a short moment his eyes darted over the furniture of his place. It all looked still the same as the day he had moved in. There was no carpet on the floor, to make it comfortable, because he wasn't used to make himself comfortable. There were no photos of family or friends, because he had none. Nothing in this room was personal. Because he still wasn't sure if he was a person. Am I really an Individual just because I am or fo I have to be more. Have I to chose a favourite to colour? Have I to dislike food and prefer some dishes? His eyes were a pale blue and they looked icy and calm over all that was in the room. It was only a second. But he took it all in. The way someone lived defined defined them. Your friends influence you. The clothes you were show decide over your appearance. Your job takes often most of your awake time. And your free times shows who you want to be. His live was empty. There was no one he called a friend, no clothes he preferred. No hobby he had and his job hadn't been chosen by him. I had no choice, he told himself. Grapping the phone, he took the call. ,,You have to go."told him a familiar voice, a voice he hadn't heard for a long time. He ended the call without a reply. He had to go. There were only a few things he wanted to take with him. Or even more correct one, he would need his scythe. .............. ,,What exactly are we looking for?" ,,A retired Cleaver, like I said." ,,But there are none, all I see are Cleavers who .....died or were so damaged they were no use anymore."pointed Sanguin out and looked up from the papers. He was glaring at Valkyrie, obviously not hally to read old dusty paperwork, dine by a bored sanctuary staff. ,,Maybe it was one of the ones who couldn't work any longer in their jobs."argued Valkyrie. ,,Well, somehow that seems unlikely, almost all of them were so severe injuries that they couldn't even get the stairs up to the apartment were the guy was murdered." ,,This is a waste of time."decided Valkyrie and laid the papers aside. ,,Seriously? You realise now that thus is a waste of time?"growled Sanguin looking furiously. ,,Well yes."said Valkyrie with a shrugg. ,,So we just spent hours wasting our time?" ,,Think positive maybe we learnt something without knowing it." ,,The only thingh I learned that beeing a Cleaver is a shitty job."argued Sanguin. ,,Well, that is still something you learned." ...........

After so much time getting animals to life in this world I am still alone.  
Lonley.  
Maybe I am losing it.  
Getting crazy.

I need somone to talk to, I am going crazy.  
Maybe I even crazy.  
Thought Darquesse looking around.  
After all she still had the desire to socialise.

You aren't alone.  
Shut up, argued Darqueese.  
It almost remebered her off herself, that was how it started with her.  
At first she had been only a voice in Valkyries head and then she got stronger.  
She got in charge.  
One day I will get control back, promised the voice.  
I am official crazy.  
For a long time she had been able to just ignore the bounce had been able to claim she was just imagining things.

You aren't imaging things, told the bounce her.  
Thanks, I am sure you are sure that you are real, a real help you are, replied Darquesse dryly.

Come on, you must know by now, that I am here, just admitt it, you aren't alone in your head.  
I am just imagining you.  
Really?, do you know why you didn't become insane like you should have, without any company.  
Because I was their to save you.  
Shut up, argued Darquesse.

You just don't want to agree with me, because you killed me.

Shivering Darquesee clised her dark eyes.  
If she wanted to she could do more than justisten ti thus person.  
She could feel her and she didn't liked that.  
Because what she felt were the emotion of another human beeing.  
The prove she wasn't alone in her head.

You once took over Valkyrie, I always thought her weak for it, you know?  
But now that I am in your position a voice in a head, I get it.  
Because I am starting to grow stronger you know? The longer I am here, the stronger O get and one day, I will get this body back.

I really need some company thougt Darqueses and tried to fight the terror that filled her.  
Because she didn't wanted to lose this body, she liked quite much to be more then a voice in a head.

...........

Keres didn't really got how Valkyrie was trying to work out who the killer was.  
But then he hadn't to understand it, he just wanted to see the results.  
But honestly?  
How in seven halls was ordering pizza and watching a movie going to help them?  
To him it looked quite like they were doing nothingh.

Narrwoming his eyes he mustered them, the very thought of the both of them made him feel weary.  
Not because Valkyrie had been Darquesee, for him that was a thingh that happened far away from him.  
And the way he understood it she had tried everything to defeat Darquesse.  
But he didn't got why she had brought the Texan with her.  
Of course he did knew that Sanguin was pardoned, but that didn't meant you could trust him.

,,Working hard I see."

,,Of course, we are determining which pizza is the best tasting one, right now."agreed Valkyrie.

,,And how does that help our case?"asked Keres.

,,As soon as we have agreed on the best tasting pizza and eaten it, we can continue full with new energy hunting for the murderer."

,,Couldn't you at least try to hurry eating?   
There are still possible victims."reminded Keres them, looking worried.  
For once he would like to present good news to his supervisor.

,,It is a scientific fact that eating slowly is better for the health."jumped Sanguin to Valkyries help.

,,Maybe for your health, but surely not for the health of the ones who are in danger."pointed Keres out and hoped that thus would get them going.  
He needed results as fast as possible.

,,You are talking about possible future victims, would it possible to meet one of them?"asked Valkyrie.

,,Sure."

....... 

,,Do you know why I summoned you?"asked the most beautiful woman and raised gracefully one of ther eyebrows.

,,I get the string feeling you are about to tell me."replied the Skeleton.

,,Valkyrie is back."came the soft reply and for one the cold, pale blue eyes looked at him with something resembling empathy.

,,She would have told me."  
A simple state of a matter of fact.

,,I don't mean in Ireland, I mean back in the game. She is investigating the murders from the Sensitives in the USA."explained China.

,,That doesn't changes anything."

,,Really? We both know that she is excellent in her job, she even got a new partner.  
Care to guess who?"

,,I would rather not."

,,Sanguin."  
China spoke the word in a way that told the detective that she was sure about it.  
Still it just couldn't be.  
Sanguin was a killer, reckless, psychotic and.......  
..........available.  
Probably in the same dark place, Valkyrie was right now.  
Both attracted from each other by the darkness they could see in each other.

,,Of course."muttered Skulldugery

,,You know what that means then?"  
A question asked with a calm expression in no way betraying what China really thought.

,,Of course, I have to go to the USA."

...............

Keres had promised to arrange a meeting with one of the most powerful sensitives if the country.  
But in return they would have to tell the Grand mage a littel about their plan about the on going investigation.

The room reminded Valkyrie of the investigation rooms in Ireland.  
Almost the same, but it wasn't her former partner sitting next ti her.  
It was Sanguin.  
She still had to get used to him beeing the one who was now her partner in well....crime.  
But she could, she knew that, he wasn't even so insular to Skulldugery.  
They both had a much to big ego.

The woman that walked in looked like a normal woman, there was nothingh about her that would make Valkyrie guess she was a sensitive.  
Her hair was dark black and curled falling down on her back, her eyes were a dark, deep brown and her skin a dark brown.

Valkyrie had been told a littel about her, even trough she looked twenty five, she was in truth three hundred years old and even fought in the war against Mevolent.  
Maybe she even met Skulldugery once, thought Valkyrie while the woman walked in and took place.

,,So you must be the infamous Valkyrie Cain."observed the woman.  
For a second Valkyrie tensed, but there was nothingh in the womans tone indicating that she hold a grudge against her.


End file.
